Bringing an adult dog into your home demands as much effort from you and the family as
does a puppy. It’s a mistake to think that just because the dog is full-grown and may have
been potty trained in one home, that he’ll just immediately adjust to your home’s
elimination schedule, too.
That’s not realistic. The dog has many adjustments to his new environment and doesn’t
instinctively know that you don’t allow peeing on the floor – especially his prior owner didn’t
mind or didn’t seem to care.
Don’t make the mistake of assuming that because he’s an adult dog that he’ll just “know”
what to do. Start with him as if he were a puppy and gradually teach him the routine of
your home’s pet potty schedule.
You probably need to start with crate training or restriction to a bathroom. Then set a
schedule for potty breaks. Adult dogs are very picky about finding a potty place outside
that’s apart from where they play, just as they don’t like to potty near where they sleep or
eat.
Help him find that place in your yard or outside when walking and return him there for
subsequent potty breaks. You have to monitor the potty breaks for several weeks to learn
your dog’s elimination patterns.
You also have to set morning and evening feeding times. He may not have had such an
organized life schedule, so this could take time for adjustment. Don’t believe that old
saying, ‘you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” It’s not the age of the dog that matters - it’s
the consistency of the owner.
If your dog came from an abusive home, even if is was just filled with shouting and hitting
with paper for any accidents, then your training efforts may take longer. First you have to
win the dog’s confidence and understand that he needs time to get comfortable in his new
home.
There will be accidents, so be prepared to clean it up and move forward. Don’t assume
that an adult dog will be any easier to train than a puppy. Both dogs would face the same
adjustment issues. You have to train with consistency and affection so that you reinforce
the responses that you want repeated.
An older male dog may be accustomed to marking his territory by urinating on it. This is an
instinctive behavior for male dogs - you aren’t going to break him of it without breaking his
spirit or having him neutered.
